Hass' Back Pages and Human Complexity
Steve Novick
I’m not going to unsay anything I have said about Mark Hass. But in our rather small community, we should never forget to appreciate the good points even of people we might be temporarily mad at.
We should remember that Hass was often terrific as a KATU reporter. In fact, he showed particular interest in tax policy, even occasionally giving yours truly a forum to talk about where tax dollars go.
As a legislator, Mark Hass has stood up against regressive proposals like taxing capital gains at a lower rate than wages (an idea which our hero of the moment, Speaker Dave Hunt, has supported – and no I am not kidding when I call him a hero; right now, he is). Here’s a 2005 blip from the OEA web site:
Rep. Mark Hass (D-Beaverton) called the bill "crazy", because it cuts tax revenues at a time when the legislature is agonizing over its inability to fund schools adequately. "People will look at us and say, 'What, are you crazy down there? You want to cut taxes when we're closing schools?'" asked Rep. Hass.
Hass has proposed at least one politically dangerous progressive tax break proposal: he tried to cut the mortgage interest deduction for second homes. And he and Greg Macpherson fought for legislation to toughen tax enforcement.
And – although I am not a sales tax guy – I recognize that he showed political courage in signing up with Ben Westlund for a tax reform proposal that included a sales tax.
Now, this is the same guy who voted in 2001 to approve the Bush tax cuts (as opposed to, by the way, Ryan Deckert, who nobly voted no), and who, two weeks ago, wrote an op-ed for the Oregonian in which he said that we could cut the income tax in half by cutting some tax breaks – without identifying a single one. This is also a guy who called for making tax increases on business temporary, when, as the Oregonian noted yesterday, we have spent 30 years seeing the business share of Oregon tax revenues decline.
I don’t understand those positions. But in case one of us croaks tomorrow, I don’t want to wind up feeling like the journalist Murray Kempton, who attacked Robert Kennedy savagely for getting into the race against Johnson only after Gene McCarthy had done so well in New Hampshire. A few months later, with Kennedy dead, Kempton wrote: “I had forgotten, from being bitter about a temporary course of his, how much I liked Senator Kennedy and how much he needed to know he was liked. Now … the memory of having forgotten that will always make me sad and indefinitely make me ashamed.”
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12:23 p.m.
Jun 15, '09
You're right to note this, Steve. Mark Hass is a leader that has a quality lacking in many elected officials: he listens far more than he speaks. His style is to open discussions and keep them rolling, so I'm confident that all the comments here and elsewhere about his votes last week did not fall on deaf ears. I'm sure he will continue to serve Oregon well in years and sessions to come.
12:30 p.m.
Jun 15, '09
Nice reflections, Steve. Black hats and white hats are hats, and can be changed, along with our perceptions of what deserve them, and they are kind of crude symbols anyway.
Speaking of which ... I guess your awarding of a white hat to Dave Hunt here refers to the most recent tax bills (?), but I'm still not happy with what he did to the transportation bill. I think it was Jeff Mapes at the O. but it might have been another journalist who gave him props for it though for getting the gas tax raise through.
Where do you put the balance there, as between the revenue vs. the cuts to sustainable transportation? (And how come our gas tax is absolute ¢/gal rather than a % anyway?)
4:02 p.m.
Jun 15, '09
Mark Hass also championed a bill that passed in this session to sunset EVERY tax credit currently on the books. Something to consider when you assert that Hass has said that we can cut taxes by reducing unneeded tax breaks "without identifying a single one."
He may not have identified any in a 500 word op-ed, but he championed legislation that will ensure that EVERY tax credit gets debated in the next few legislative sessions.
5:19 p.m.
Jun 15, '09
Saying all should be sunsetted doesn't save us any money unless you think some should not be revived. Theoretically you could sunset 'em all and then revive 'em all.
5:20 p.m.
Jun 15, '09
In the spirit of this thread, Mark also was part of the media team in 2004 that successfully defeated a tort reform measure seeking to limit Oregonians' jury rights. Mark helped with media training and spokesperson development, very useful given his journalism background.
Speaking of Mark's time at KATU, his interview with then Rep. Roger Beyer on gun control was one of the single most best broadcast pieces from the '99 session. Beyer basically became unglued, and the story helped kickstart a debate that had previously been stalled.
5:27 p.m.
Jun 15, '09
Mark's a great Senator -- lessor members of the chamber would not have listened to reason and changed his/her vote. As my good friend Ellen Lowe likes to say (paraphrasing some Salem teacher from yesteryear) "always reserve the right to be wiser tomorrow." Mark did that, and Oregonians should be thankful.
I still have a recording of a classic Mark Hass pair of news reports. He covered the 1993 session when Larry Campbell temporarily shut down the ability of the state to distribute cash and food stamp benefits to low-income families as the session moved into (arghh!) August. After doing a news story where he interviewed a poor woman holding an infant about her problems getting food and diapers with the checks being held up by Campbell's callous shenanigans, his next news story was about how the session was going into the weekend and showed senators and their staff at a potluck dressed to the nines and eating well. Classic Mark Hass pair of stories that painted the whole picture.
Jun 15, '09
支持。
Jun 15, '09
Steve, that's a really fine post and I think it makes a valid point. I can't help feeling that it sounds a bit like a eulogy, though.
5:43 p.m.
Jun 15, '09
Yeah, I know. Not really meant that way. I'm feeling sad today, for some reason, so everything I say is kinda wistful.
Jun 15, '09
Don't feel sad, Steve. Thursday was one of the best days ever in the Capitol. Mark did the right thing and then the went on to expand health care to 80,000 kids and 35,000 adults. Go get a beer and celebrate!
Jun 15, '09
Thanks, Steve, for the post. I've written and re-written many comments that I haven't sent to previous posts. The bottom line is this - just because you disagree with someone on an issue doesn't/shouldn't make them a "bad" person. Oregon is lucky to have a Senator like Mark Hass.
9:14 p.m.
Jun 15, '09
I completely agree with the tone of this post -- those who believe unerringly in a politician are bound to be disappointed -- those who completely disregard a politician are bound to be surprised.
9:14 p.m.
Jun 15, '09
I completely agree with the tone of this post -- those who believe unerringly in a politician are bound to be disappointed -- those who completely disregard a politician are bound to be surprised.
Jun 15, '09
If the state is going to sunset every business tax credit, can it also sunset every non profits state tax funding.
All business tax credits should sunset and all non profit funding should sunset as well and be reviewed to make certain the taxpayers are getting the best bang for the buck. All should be be held to legislative intent and not be allowed to expand beyond that intent.
Jun 15, '09
Great column, Steve. Anyone who runs for or wins public office makes many decisions--often some great and some debatable.
I hope we can remember that next year. Whoever runs for Gov. next year is likely to have made some good decisions and some that are debatable.
And we will be better off if someone can say of any candidate, "this was really intelligent, but that really bothered me" without some activist saying that if someone doesn't consider the candidate perfect they are obviously supporting the opponent so why don't they identify themselves as an active supporter of that candidate? People have the right to be undecided up until they mark their ballot---and saying otherwise generally doesn't win votes.
I have known Mark for many years. The work he did covering the 1992 Senate primary was excellent. I talked to him last week about his vote and have emailed him with some thoughts about it and conversations with friends.
Steve, if you ever run for office again, I hope you will consider this discussion as you run your campaign. My neighbor was unimpressed with your beer commercial and said she didn't know what that had to do with the US Senate. Had you raised enough money to run ads every hour on the hour for weeks, that would not have changed her mind had you not won her over with a different spot. Not all candidates who run memorable commercials win elections.
If Mark runs for whatever office in the future, people will have the right to say "Hass, isn't he the guy who voted both ways on that tax bill?".
Anyone also has the right to question any ad or any statement on the website or in a debate by Steve Novick or any other candidate, past or present.
Even if everyone who attacked me for my blog comments last year in the Senate primary gives me holy hell for writing this, everyone has the right to dissect the actions of anyone who has ever run for office.
Mark would have been smarter to have made his concerns about the tax bill earlier than June. A friend said that is the difference between intelligence and leadership--had Frank Morse and Mark Hass expressed their concerns in their mid-June speeches in March, April, or May, there would have been more time to address the issues, and they would have looked more like leaders.
Mark has something else going for him that some in politics can forget is important. "Soft answer can turn away wrath" is one of the oldest adages around. But people like Mark who have good manners and can speak in a soft voice have a more powerful weapon to win supporters (or benefit of the doubt) than all the sarcastic political types who make fun of people they disagree with. That view is as old as the Aesop's Fable of the Wind and the Sun.
8:46 a.m.
Jun 16, '09
One part of this story that I still don't get is why the Senate did not have any hearings on the tax bills? While I have told Mark that I disagree with his policy position on the bill, I am bothered by the fact that he did not have a chance to argue his case before his peers until the vote came up. This is bad government and I am very sympathetic with Mark on this point. If he had a chance to vent and to debate in a hearing, this whole story might not have happened.
8:47 a.m.
Jun 16, '09
One part of this story that I still don't get is why the Senate did not have any hearings on the tax bills? While I have told Mark that I disagree with his policy position on the bill, I am bothered by the fact that he did not have a chance to argue his case before his peers until the vote came up. This is bad government and I am very sympathetic with Mark on this point. If he had a chance to vent and to debate in a hearing, this whole story might not have happened.
Jun 16, '09
Steve:
Haven't you heard? Hass isn't running for gov after all. You can stop attacking him now.
10:39 a.m.
Jun 16, '09
LT, your mention of Steve's Senate campaign is really a stretch for relevancy on this thread. It simply seems like a push to bring light, once again, to the fact that you had a problem with Steve's campaign.
But to rewrite history by saying the beer commercial was the foundation of his run is entirely disingenuous. Steve ran a grassroots operation and spoke compellingly on the stump. Getting within three points of the speaker of the House while being outspent 3-1 doesn't just say "hey, we had a sweet ad."
And while I agree entirely with your message that candidates for office should be questioned and debated at every turn by Oregonians, the catalyst for backing up that message was a little shaky.
Anyway, I sincerely hope that both Senator Hass and Mr. Novick have long careers ahead of them in public service in Oregon. We'll be better for it.
Jun 16, '09
Andrew--check out what I said on Hass for Gov. topic.
Regardless of the candidate, if one neighbor says to another that they don't know what the ad had to do with the office sought, they will not vote for that candidate regardless of what money the candidate spends or what else is done by the campaign. Every supporter of the campaign may think it is the best campaign ever run. But voters make the final decision.
Mark is a bright guy who has done some stupid things. Same with Steve. Out in the real world, ordinary folks think any current or former campaign is ripe for dissection and discussion.
The candidate who wins is the candidate who impresses the most voters. If someone living in a downstate county like Marion doesn't think the darling of the Portland area ran a true grassroots campaign, saying so won't change that.
I never saw Steve in a town hall setting in Marion County except very early in the process when he spoke to Marion Demoforum. The young person I took to that luncheon came away with the impression "nice guy, but...", and was later thrilled to hear he had primary competition. Steve's speech was more directed at political insiders than at the young people at our table.
I thought Steve made a good point here, saying he agreed with some of what Mark did and disagreed with other things he did. I happen to think this is a great column by Steve. I also happen to think he made a bunch of mistakes in the Sen. primary. If that bothers you, too bad. How many counties did Steve carry outside of Multnomah?
Jun 16, '09
To Chris Lowe's question about the gas tax, it's cent per gallon and not a percentage for stability. While gallons purchased varies some, the price varies a lot, just look at the past year.
Jun 18, '09
Please be our governor Steve!
Jun 19, '09
I purchased the ralph lauren polo t-shirt for my friend as a gift and he was SO excited he wore it the very next day. When I asked him about how many compliments he received he just grinned. Apparently everyone loved it!
While it's such a great shirt, just be such not to over wear it!
Jun 24, '09
Hey Steve, We need you! Please run against Wyden in 2010. We need a real progressive, not this republican in Democrats clothing.
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